Straight razor sharpener



April' 23, 1957 F. SERGERIE 2,789,400

STRAIGHT RAZOR SHARPENER Filled Sept. 19, 1955 A2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fernand Sergerie INVENToR.

Mv-mm FQ SERGERIE April z3, 1957 O I STRAIGHT RAZOR SHARFENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 13, 1955 STRAIGHT RAzoR-sHARPENER Fernand Sergerie, Val-Alvertntario, Canada ApplicationSeptember 19, 1955,;SerialNo. 535,168

3 Claims. (Cl. 511'40) This invention relates in` general to new and usefulimprovements in sharpening machines, and more-specifically to a straight razor Sharpener.

. In .the sharpening of Straight razorsgenerally a'tbeltlike member is utilized to produce a-honing action. 1^ At the present time a straight razor isnormally sharpened by working the razor back and forth alternating the Vopposite sides thereof so as to produce a sharpening action. However, in many instances the razor is not evenly sharpened due to the fact that` one 'cannot holdithe razor perfectly square with the beltI duringl the sharpening action.

'tIti is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a mechanical razor vSharpenerf'whicll is So constructed whereby opposite faces of the razor are alternate- `ly engaged kwith abrading beltsythe razor .being so held ,with respect to the abrading belts whereby it is main- Ytained in the proper relationship with respect tothe belts at all times so that an even honing or sharpening action Another object of this inventiony is to provide an improved straight razor Sharpener of the mechanized type -which utilizes a single power unit for both guiding abrading belt and mechanism for oscillating the razor Abetween the abrading belts so as to alternately hone 4orsharpen vopposite sides thereof to produce an even' finish lon the edge of the razor.

Afurther object of this invention is to provide an improved straight razor holder for use in a straightrazor .companying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals referto like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View ofthe straight razor Sharpener which is the subject of this invention :and shows theV general details thereof;

.Figure 2 is a top plan view of the straight razor Sharpener of Figure 1 and shows further the details of the mechanism thereof;

YFigure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section` line 3-'-3 of Figure l and shows the details of the drive mechanism for one of the rollers and for the razor holder;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line '4 4 of Figure 2 and shows the specific mounting of the abrading and relationship of the razor with respect thereto during a honing or sharpening action; and

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by section` line 5-5 of Figure 2 and shows the specific details of the United States Patent '.2 razor holder and the relationship thereof/withfrespect=to a straight razor.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen .that there is illustrated the Straightl razor sharpener'which is the subject of this invention, the-razor' Sharpener being referred to in general-by the reference numerallt). The razor Sharpener 10 `includes a supporting frame which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 12.

'The supporting frame 12 is'formed with a base 14 which is supported by a plurality of feet members 16, the feet members -16 being-resilientv and-being secured to ythe base 14 by means of suitable fasteners 18.

Extending upwardly from the base-14 along the-front edge thereof is 'a generally U'-shapedplate which isrekferred to in general by thereference numeral 20.l `The U-shaped plate 20 stops short of the-leftv hand edge "of thebase 14 and includes a-relatively highsbottom portion l 22: and upstanding legs -24 andw26. `Disposed at the rear edge of the base 14 is a rear wall 28,which is aligned withy the front wall-20. The rear wall differs lfrom the front-wall inasmuch as it is inthe form of a generally rectangular plate without any portions there- .f of ,cut away.

Referring now to- Figure 3 `in particular, it will be -.seen that there is carried'by the rear portion of the base 14 vin spaced relation with respect toy the rear wall 28, a mounting bracket 30. Thezmounting bracket 30 includes a horizontal flange 32 which is secured in place by-suitable fastener `34, and alvertical llange 36.

'46 and 48, respectively.- Secured to the rear portions of the d-rums-46.andy 48 are'ldrive pulleys 50 and 52, re-

spectively. The drive pulleys 50 and 52 are connected to their respective shafts by setscrews 54. The shafts 42 and 44 are retained in place byplates 56 carried by the front wall 20.

i Mounted on the base 14 adjacent the-'left end thereof by means of a bracket 58 is a power unit in the form of 'an -electric motor 68. The electric motor 60 includes an armature vshaft 62 having a drive pulley 64 mounted thereon by means of a setscrew 66.

Disposed adjacent the drive pulley 64,k but to the rightthereofand closer to thebase 14, as is best `illustrated in Figure 4, is idler pulley 68. v The idler pulley 68 is mounted on a` shaft 70 which extends between the front wall 20 and a mounting bracket 72 carried by the base 14, and is journaled therein.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 4, in particular, it will be seen that the rear wall 28 has Secured thereto a forwardly extending shaft 74, the `shaft 74 being retained in place by a pair of nuts 76. Carried by the forward end of the shaft 74 in alignment with the pulleys 64, 68, 50 and 52 is a pulley 7S. The pulley 78, as is best illustrated in Figure 4 is disposedabove and Slightly to the right of the pulley 52.

Entrained over the drive pulley 64and extending upwardly and to the right' therefrom over the pulley 78 is a drive belt 80. The drive belt extends down around and under the pulley 52. Next the belt 80 goes over-the pulley 50 and down under the pulley 68 where it returns to the pulley 64. Thus, it will be readily apparent that the drums 46 and 48 will be driven in opposite directions.

Extending upwardly from the legs 24 and 26 are identical plates 82. The plates 82 are retained inrvertical ad,

, f 3 instable position with respect to the legs 24 and 26 by means of fasteners 84. Similar plates 86 extend upwardly from the rear wall 28 and are retained in adjusted yvertical position by fasteners 88.

Extending between the pairs of plates 82 and 86 and suitably journalled therein are idler shafts 90 and 92 which correspond with the drive shafts 42 and 44, re-

spectively. The shafts 90 and 92 are retained in place by the platesv 82 and 86 in which they are journalled by Ameans of clips or plates 94 which are identical with the clips or plates 56.

Carried by the shafts 90 and 92 are drums 96 and 98, respectively. It is to be noted that the drums 96 and 98 are spaced further apart than the drums 46 and 43. Entrained over the drums 46 'and 90 is an abrading belt 100. A similar abrading belt 102 is entrained over the drums 48 and 98, the abrading belts 100 and 102 having adjacent portionsl which diverge upwardly and which move in the same direction.

Disposed between the lower parts of the abrading belt 100 and 102 and journaled in the front wall 20 and the rear wall 28 is a rocker shaft 104, which is best illustrated in Figure 3. The rocker shaft 104 has reduced end portions 106, one of which is actually journaled in a plate 108 secured to the front wall 20 by a fastener 110.

Carried by the rear part of the base 14 is an L-shaped mounting bracket 112 which supports a shaft 114. Journalled on the shaft 114 is a large gear 116. The gear 116 is meshed with `a gear portion 120 formed on the driveshaft 42. Connected to the base of the large gear 116 by means of a pitman pin 122 is a pitman ann 124. The pitman 124 is connected to a bifurcated crank arm 126 by means of a pivot pin 128. The crank arm 124 is secured to the rocker shaft 104 so that when the large gear 116 is rotated, the rocker shaft 104 will be rocked to oscillate it.

Carried by the forward part of the rocker shaft 104 between the abrading belts 100 and 102 is a straight holder which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 130. -The straight razor holder 130 includes a horizontally disposed flat arm 132 having a rear depending flange portion 134 secured to the forward part of the rocker shaft 104. It is to be noted that the arm 132 extends between the legs 24 and 26 and is disposed primarily forwardly of the front wall 20.

Referring now to Figure in particular, the arm 132 is provided with a pair of spaced slots 136 and 13S disposed transversely of the length thereof. Passed through the slots 136 yand 138 are legs 140 and 142, respectively, of an inverted U-shaped clamp member 144. The legs 140 and 142 have their upper ends connected together by a bight portion 146. Secured to the underside of the arm 132 is one end of a loop spring 148. The other end of the spring 14S is secured to the lower end of the leg 142.

Referring now to Figure 3 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated a conventional type of straight razor 150 which includes a blade 152 of generally triangular cross section, as is best illustrated in Figure 4. The blade 152 includes a reduced shank portion 154 which is pivotally connected to a handle 156. The straight razor 150 is of the type for which the present invention is designed.

When it is desired to sharpen a straight razor, such as the straight razor 150, the spring 14S is pressed upwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 5. When the clamp member 144 is sufficiently elevated with respect to the arm 132, the shank portion 154 of the razor 150 may be disposed between the legs 140 and 142. The spring 148 may then be released and it will serve to resiliently retain the clamp member 144 in a position illustrated in Figure 5 to clamp the shank portion 154 against the arm 132. l

In order that operation of the electric motor 60 may be controlled, there is provided a switch 158 which is mounted on the front wall 20. Extending between the switch and the electric motor 60 is a wire 160. Also connected to the switch 158 is a lead-in wire 162 whose opposite ends may be connected in any desired electrical circuit. When the electric motor 60 is energized by the manipulation of the switch 158, the abrading belts and 102 will move upwardly and away from each other in the central part thereof. In order words, the abrading belt 102 will move in a clockwise direction while the abrading belt 100 will move in a counter-clockwise direction. At the Sametime, the shaft 104 is oscillated or rocked to oscillate the razor 150 back and forth between the abrading belts 100 and 102. The blade 152 will rst engage the belt 100 in the manner best illustrated in Figure 4. Then it will be oscillated over into similar engagement with the belt 102. In this manner the opposite sides of the blades 152 will be alternatingly honed. The razor holder will serve to hold the edge of the razor 150 normal to the belts 100 and 102 and at the same time permit resilient retaining of the blade 152 against the belts 100 and 102. yIt will be understood that the razor holder 130 is one v of the most important features of the present invention because it permits the proper retaining of the blade 152 with respect to the belts 100 and 102 to produce the desired honing or sharpening operation.

The belts 100 and 102 may be of any desired material, but should have the proper abrading characteristics to produce the desired honing or sharpening of the blade 152.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the 4exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay, be resorted to, falling within the scope .of the invention as claimed.

vWhat. is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A razor holder for a razor Sharpener comprising a at ann, a spring having one end secured to said flat arm, a U-shaped clamp having legs passing through said 'at arm, said clamp cooperating with said flat arm to hold supporting arm being provided with a pair of transversely spaced, longitudinally extending slots aligned with said leaf spring, an inverted U-shaped clamp having legs, said legs passing through said slots and said supporting arm, one of said legs being relatively long vas compared to the other and having connected thereto the other end of said spring whereby said spring urges said clamp to a razor clamping position relative to said flat supporting arm.

3. In a straight edge razor Sharpener of the type which includes a supporting frame, a razor holder pivotally carried by Asaid supporting frame, a pair of endless abrading belts carried by said frame on opposite sides of said razor holder with portions of said endless belts being disposed inV opposed relation, power means carried by said frame drivingly connected to said endless belts for moving said opposed portions of said endless belts in the same general direction, means for oscillating said razor holder back and forth between said opposed surfaces; the improvement residing iny said Vrazor holder which comprises a at sup'- porting arm, a curved leaf spring having one end secured to said flat supporting arm and extending transversely of said supporting arm, said supporting arm being provided with a pair of transversely spaced, longitudinally extending slots aligned with said leaf spring, an inverted U-shaped clamp having legs, said legs passing through said slots and said supporting ann, one of said legs being relatively long as compared to the other and having connected thereto the other end of said spring whereby said spring urges said clamp to a razor clamping position relative to said flat supporting arm.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Rheinberg July 31, 1906 Long July 2, 1912 Weaver Oct. 28, 1913 Furan Ian. 15, 1918 Schaumburg Jan. 14, 1919 Boulter Nov. 27, 1923 Balga Feb. 23, 1932 

